How We Work : Blog

Hot on the heels of a "proposed" increase of 2 percentage points in our Goods and Services Tax (GST), a nice surprise announcement of a 2.7 month bonus for civil servants is trotted out.

Citing good economic growth as the reason, this is one of the higher payouts from the government in recent years. Nothing like a little bit of good christmas cheer to make us forget all about the impending increase in tax in the new year eh.

Now, if only companies like Sony (and their bad batteries and much delayed PS3s) and Airbus (with their even more delayed A380s) could take a page out of this playbook. Always announce the bad news first but don't give it time to fester. Once your stock explanations and excuses fail to satiate the general public, deflect criticism by throwing in a carrot.

Simple and elegant, how many civil servants are going to be complaining about the GST hike now? The silence will be deafening at least till January, when they have spent all their extra money.

Learn the lesson that the Singapore government has been practicing so well over the years. Honey us up where it matters most (cold hard cash baby) and we will take any pill, no matter how hard it is to swallow.

Dan